


Rude Awakening

by Sylvir48



Series: Dreaming of You [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Adam Taurus is a jerk on a good day, Adam started the White Fang, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blake needs one too, Coping, F/F, It Makes Sense Don't Worry, Leaving, Nightmares, Physical Abuse, Ruby Rose (RWBY) Needs a Hug, Ruby Rose (RWBY) has PTSD, Substance Abuse, White Fang Member Ruby Rose, White Fang founder Blake Belladonna, Wolf Faunus Ruby Rose (RWBY), abuse recovery, with Blake's help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:41:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvir48/pseuds/Sylvir48
Summary: "Do you really have to go, mom?"Summer promised she'd come back to her little rosebud.She broke her promise; Summer never came back.Now, someone needs to clean up the mess she left behind...
Relationships: Adam Taurus/Blake Belladonna (one sided), Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose, Neopolitan & Ruby Rose (RWBY), Raven Branwen & Ruby Rose, Ruby Rose & Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Dreaming of You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863388
Comments: 13
Kudos: 84





	1. Something Good?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prequel to a story I am currently in the process of rewriting. Please don’t worry, those of you who have read my story “Dreaming of You” from ff.net, you WILL get the rewrite I promised, I just wanted to expand on the story I wrote by giving it some context. This is the first of (what I'm planning to be) a 2-4 part series centered around my personal favorite ship in RWBY. If you guys don’t like Blake x Ruby, or girl/girl anything, then why did you even click on this? It’s right there in the tags. Anyway, I also want to apologize for making you guys wait so long for this rewrite. I’m sorry, I know the original was crap, but I took notes, and I’m approaching this story from a new angle. Right now, I think this might be better. Even so, I WILL take criticism from you guys, so don’t be afraid to point out something you think could be better. I still want to improve, so please help me out!
> 
> A detail I want to point out before our “journey” begins: the chapter titles are references to my favorite video game/anime/cartoon/movie OSTs, as well as albums from various artists. If you’d like, you guys can try to guess the songs in the comments! I’m letting you know now, some of them could be challenging!
> 
> All of that aside, please enjoy reading the first part of my new “Dreaming of You” series!

At first, Blake would admit, she thought it seemed like a good idea. Oh, how gloriously wrong she would be proven; when that idea was put into practice...

The entire mess began with a simple “What if?” question from her friend, Adam Taurus. “What if the faunus acted as an organized group? With a leader or representative of some kind, we could all be given a voice to speak up against the racists in power, and prove that we aren’t the animals they think we are!” Initially, it seemed reasonable, bolstered by common sense. The idea spread like wildfire, and soon, people were lining up to help in any way they could.

Immediately, Adam realized that he would need some help organizing the potential supporters for this newfound cause; so he asked Blake to provide this much-needed aid, which she happily did. As one would expect, two people with such limited experience found the task of organizing large crowds to be quite daunting; and booking a gig with enough space for all of the “Brothers” and “Sisters” in the newly formed "White Fang" was proving to be an expensive challenge.

Despite these setbacks, Adam and Blake still believed they could make it work; so they walked the streets in towns supportive of Faunus oppression, followed by their many brothers and sisters waving flags and carrying banners and signs. These peaceful marches were met with thrown food and trash, often aimed to cause injuries to the targets who failed to evade in time. Curses melded with insults into an indistinguishable mess of ear-splitting yells; but even with such negative backlash, those who marched armed were more than willing to ward off the Grimm when they inevitably came en masse, drawn to the conflict.

This caught the attention of a large number of people; and even _more_ when it was reported in the numerous news outlets that caught wind of it. The White Fang was gaining a reputation; and the publicity skyrocketed their movement, to the point that humans and faunus _alike_ were marching everywhere from Vale to Vacuo under the White Fang’s insignia. Adam and Blake were stunned that their simple idea triggered such immense reactions from what seemed like the entire world, but they continued to lead their cause, intent to see their message for equality heard by those with the authority to make the changes that they _needed_ more than wanted.

It was at this point that Blake would be proven oh so gloriously wrong about this so-called “good idea,” as they had recently taken on a new member; who immediately caught both Blake and Adam's attention, in different ways. the young wolf faunus was a little shorter than Blake herself, and clung to two things as though they were some kind of lifeline: her red cloak, and a folded piece of paper; neither of which she ever seemed to let out of her sight. (Ironic, as the girl wore a blindfold at all times)

The girl introduced herself as Ruby Rose and was appropriately given the name “Sister Rose” as a member of the White Fang. After Rose’s induction into the Fang, Blake, or “Sister Nightshade” to her brothers and sisters, rarely saw Rose at all. Despite everyone knowing each other's hotel rooms in their makeshift "base of operations," Sister Rose was seldom in her “quarters” when Nightshade checked in on her; instead, she would often hear from bystanders that Rose was either somewhere with the self-appointed “Great Leader Taurus,” or went to the nearby weapons store, which Rose visited regularly for some reason.

Even through the brave face the redheaded girl wore, Blake could see that something was hurting Rose (outside of off-the-record, secretive meetings, which they rarely managed between near-constant duties to the Fang). She just wanted to help Sister Rose, but the few times Rose _was_ alone, she was looking at that strange paper in her one hand, and held what looked like a gun as long as she was tall in her other; a scene few didn't fear to interrupt, with the risk of being caught in that thing's scope.

Adam, however, was one of the few either stupid or brave enough to not only approach Rose like this but make an attempt at casual conversation. Blake was present but was _not_ stupid enough to intervene. Her friend would soon realize his mistake, so she opted to watch his first encounter like this unfold. Now, Rose was something of an enigma; as soon as someone thought they figured her out, something new was discovered about her. One thing that everyone learned very quickly, however, was that she rarely sat in public as she did here, now. Though, when she did, she was _not_ to be disturbed for _any_ trivial reason at all. Adam was known for ignoring rules and warnings, however, and his arrogance did nothing to help him out of the trouble he often caused to himself; such as in this instance.

At first, Adam’s words (mostly complements and pickup lines) fell on Rose’s deaf ears; until he pulled the old “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” Which earned him a briefly raised brow and an unseen glance in his direction, then her full attention was back to the page in her hand. “I’m no angel, _Great Leader_.” the sarcastic edge to her tone was quite obvious, and a few onlookers started snickering and quietly chuckling; even Blake, the stone-faced brains behind their operation, coughed a little to hide a laugh. Adam was slightly annoyed, yet he continued. Moving to grab the paper from her hand, he asked “What is this anyway, Rose?” she instantly stood up and stepped away from him, almost too quick to see. The chuckling immediately silenced, as petals of unknown origin danced in the air around her before vanishing. “Blueprints; for a weapon, sir. What’s it to you?” he stepped forward, grinning. To match, she backpedaled, “Oh? What kind of weapon are we talking about, Sister Rose?”

Rose’s paper vanished into one of her pockets, her now empty hand positioned to hold her “gun” like a two-handed spear of sorts. Ignoring the strange looks the impromptu audience gave her, Rose swung her incomplete prototype horizontally at Adam, who blocked at the last second with Wilt, his ever-present katana. After adjusting her angle a bit, Rose smirked a little herself, responding to his earlier question, “The kind that can do this!” Though its angle changed, Rose's weapon was still locked against Adam's. When Rose pulled a trigger on her prototype, a loud BANG ensued. Adam instantly grabbed at his left foot, dropping Wilt in the process, yelling incoherently in pain. The visible hole in the ground and his bleeding foot were more than convincing evidence that Adam Taurus had just been non-fatally shot.

Rose herself was the only one who wasn’t left speechless at the fact that the current leader of the White Fang was just bested in two moves; a fact made more evident when she suggested, "Someone might wanna help him. I'm better at causing injuries than treating them, so I can't do much for him." With no verbal response, she just pulled her “Blueprint” out of her pocket, and returned to her previous seat, periodically looking between the paper and the weapon she just used. Once again, everyone was reminded not to disturb the Rose, lest some poor oaf fall victim to her thorns.

Adam’s foot made a full recovery due to his Aura; however, this incident was one of many that would later culminate in an old friend becoming a terrible enemy for Sister Nightshade. Perhaps, now we should figure out where this Rose came from...


	2. A true heartache part 1

Four and a half years before what is now known as the Shaded Rose Incident...

This was it, today was the day she’d been training forever to reach. She didn’t really know what would be waiting for her at Beacon Academy, but that was why she trained in the first place. She couldn’t just waltz right in expecting to pass their standard tests without _any_ effort at all! These people taught some of the greatest huntsmen and huntresses out there, and she’d be _damned_ if Summer was the only role model her little sister had to look up to besides their drunkard uncle/father.

“Yang, are you sure you’re all packed up?”

Despite looking nothing like the woman, Summer Rose took Yang in when Raven saw it fit to leave the girl with her brother, Qrow, whom Summer was married to and, at the time, was even expecting to give birth herself.

With Tai dead in a hunt gone _very_ wrong, and Raven breaking Qrow’s weekly alcohol record daily; the bandit turned huntress knew that her daughter wouldn’t do well raised in such conditions. With more such problems piling up, Raven turned to the only people she could trust the way she needed to in this mess; her remaining former teammates, Qrow and Summer, to care for Yang Xiao Long until they could _all_ agree that she could handle raising her child herself.

Now, it’s been about six years since Raven got herself out of that headache, seventeen since Tai’s death, and while the Branwen twins still drink, it isn’t near as much as before. Now, things were really starting to look up for the family. They all shared a house with enough space for the whole group, and most of both the now teenagers’ puberty passed by with little incident; though Raven coming back _mostly_ sober was a shock to everyone, especially Yang. But, they worked through it all, and are pretty well off now.

But that’s enough nostalgia; Yang was asked if she packed, yes?

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything, Aunt Rose. Unless I left my toothbrush in the bathroom.” Yang responded. Raven came over with a paper bag in hand, “One, you’ve been living with her for how long?” Yang answered, “About sixteen years. Why?” Raven handed her the bag, a prepared meal, obviously, “Okay, so there’s no need to be so formal, right?” Scratching at the back of her neck sheepishly with her free hand, “Sorry, you know how I get when I’m nervous!” Raven still wasn’t completely used to the whole ‘parenting’ gig, but she did try to learn as much about her daughter as she could, and improve on what shortcomings she found, “It’s alright! Just, uh… oh! Try to breathe, calm yourself down a little, okay?”

Yang did as instructed and her nerves were starting to settle down somewhat. “Thanks for that, mom. I might need to remember that at Beacon, heh.” Raven laughed a little as well, “Haha. You remember that, and you’ll pass the initiation test for sure!” After a small bout of laughter from the two, Raven produced a yellow toothbrush from a pocket, still smiling a little, “And two, I figured you might leave this in the bathroom.” another bout of laughter, this time including Summer, rang through the house. After regaining her bearings, Yang took the offered item, packed it away, and hugged Raven and Summer both, “I’ll miss you guys! And keep an eye on Qrow, will you? We all know the trouble he can get himself into when he’s drunk!”

It was around this point that Qrow and Ruby were finishing up their backyard training for today, and came in to say goodbye to Yang. “hey! nervous much, wildfire?” Qrow joked, “Yeah. Mostly about the initiation test, honestly.” was the response. “Ha! Knowing you? I’d say you’ve got _maybe_ a small chance.” Yang punched her uncle in the arm, chuckling at the joke, “At least I _have_ a chance! I’d bet lien that mom did most of the work during _your_ initiation!” now everyone was laughing, Qrow too. Things calmed down, and it was Ruby’s turn now.

“I’ll miss you, sis!” even with all the drama they’ve been through, they still see each other as sisters. “I’ll miss you too, Ruby. Don’t slack off with your training, you hear?” Ruby laughed, “Of course not, Yang! I’m not _dad,_ you know.” Qrow jokingly complained, “Why do you girls enjoy torturing me?” Yang was quick to reply “Oh, shut up, birdbrain!” more laughter from everyone; and a moment to breathe later, Ruby jumped at Yang, the taller girl easily regaining her balance and hugging her cloaked sister back. “Really though, be careful out there, okay?” The sisters started tearing up a little, but Yang still replied, “I promise, Ruby, I’ll be fine. Besides, if I _do_ get in, I’ll have a team watching my back! I’m sure everything will be alright, sis. And you’re training too! Who knows, maybe we could team up after you make your way through Beacon yourself!”

After the girls let go of each other, Yang slung her bag’s strap on her shoulder and grabbed the lunch Raven prepared for the trip to Beacon Academy’s campus. Qrow walked up to her, with a set of keys in his hand, “I think it’s about time, Summer, Ray?” knowing what he meant, Summer nodded and Raven shook her head, smiling. “If you think she’s ready, go ahead.” Yang adjusted her gauntlets' fit on her wrists, asking, “What’re you guys going on about?” Raven just chuckled a little, “It was entirely Summer and Qrow’s idea, but they convinced me to allow one parting gift, just so that you’re _not_ always asking for a ride.” Qrow jingled the keys in front of Yang, grinning like some schemer. “Wanna go see our little present?” Raven laughed. “Little? Ha! I didn’t think the _dealers_ called it little!”

Confused as all hell, Yang was led on by Qrow while the rest of the group followed the two of them out the front door, into the yard. “Okay, Qrow, what did you do?” The man in question chuckled, “ _All of us_ , including Ruby, pitched in to get you... _this_ ,” he said gesturing to a brand new motorcycle, painted yellow and black, “so don’t total ‘er alright? She wasn’t cheap!”

Yang stopped in her tracks and turned to look at her family, grinning with tears on her face. “You guys! You didn’t have to! I was planning on saving enough from hunting to get one, but… Oh geez, really? It’s got everything! Thank you, All of you! Really, thank you!” Summer and Qrow were laughing, while Raven encouraged her “Well, we didn’t just buy it to sit there! Are you gonna test drive it, or what? Qrow, _please_ tell me you got her a helmet!” the only guy in the house was starting to calm down, “Yeah, yeah, don’t worry! I even got her a spare. ‘Course, she won’t be using it if she’s got a passenger!”

Raven just sighed and facepalmed. “Why'd I let you guys talk me into this?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry that it took a little while for this chapter to come out, but I want to make this at least legible enough to follow the story with minimal confusion for you guys, who are taking the time to read this. Anyway, I really hope this turned out okay, since I have a few reservations about the quality of my work. You already know the drill: rip it apart, find any improvements you think could be made, yadda yadda. 
> 
> CHALLENGE: Try to guess the song/OST reference in this chapter's title if you’d like. No real reward for getting it right, but you can try regardless! (hint: there's two from the same source this time! Guess one, or both, or don't bother at all, I’ll still put references in these titles.)
> 
> -Sylvir


	3. A true heartache part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry these keep taking a while; I have a bit of a full plate at the moment, so I might update this about once a week/two weeks from this point forward. Apology aside, I’m warning you guys now, the point of view is probably going to change a few times in this story, and I plan on splitting this into two or three points of view to cover everything.
> 
> Despite my best efforts, some of you might still get confused; so after I’ve posted the last chapter of this story, I’m going to post a bonus chapter detailing a timeline of the events of the story as well as a list of the songs/OSTs that inspired the chapter titles. I can’t say I know when it’ll be done, but it will happen!
> 
> Anyway, until the bonus chapter is posted, I’ll let you guys keep guessing the inspiration for the chapter titles. So guess the albums/OSTs if you want, or don’t and just read the story; either way, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> -Sylvir

A few months after Yang left for Beacon to train as a huntress...

Ruby’s training was going excellently, but while she had regular contact with Yang and her three parental figures (it’s not very common for someone to live with their aunt _and_ their actual parents), the hunt that Summer signed up for seemed like it was way too dangerous for any lone huntress, no matter how skilled or experienced. Ruby knew her mom; Summer took risks, but only the ones others wouldn’t take for obvious reasons, despite the potential for everyone’s benefit if those risks might be overcome.

“At least take someone with you! Fighting three full Alpha-led Beowulf _packs_ , and more than two _dozen_ total confirmed Deathstalker, King Taijitu, Ursa, and Nevermore sightings in the area with a full team of veterans would be cutting things close. Going solo is practically suicide, mom!” Summer just smiled.

That damned smile that she only wore when she had already made up her mind; it wasn’t even the curve of her lip that made that one look on her face such a cruel sight. The look of her daughter’s eyes, in pain at the thought of what Summer said, knowing the _true_ meaning behind her words; the unspoken promise Summer made with those _same_ words, “I promise you, Ruby, I _will_ be coming back. And when I do, I’ll give to you the final gift that is within my power to give you; the one thing you haven’t stopped asking for since you were twelve.” Summer took in the sight of her younger daughter; mentally noting just how much her little Rosebud grew since those simpler days.

She looked to the ground for a few moments, shook the thoughts of that which is no more away, and sighed. Returning to the present, Summer Rose looked upon the sight of the young woman that was her daughter now; standing in place of the twelve-year-old child she recalled moments ago, was instead a girl who had undergone five years of rigorous and demanding training, with a little help from Qrow, Raven, and Summer herself. “If I _don’t_ return, Qrow knows what my gift is, and where I put it.”

Ruby wasn’t convinced, but Summer had already countered every argument she could think of, so there was only one more thing she could try, “Do you _really_ have to go, mom?” Ruby knew using the technique her mother taught her would have little (if any) effect on the woman she had learned it from, but the Pout was all she had left besides her pleas to just have her mother stay. The instant she saw the Pout begin to form on Ruby’s face, the smile on Summer’s own grew sadder. “I can’t just cancel two days before a scheduled hunt, especially if I’m the only hunter going, Rosebud.”

“But you _can’t_ go! because you _are_ the only one going! Please, mom, just wait for dad and aunt Raven to get back. You could take one of them with you! Mom, please!” Summer’s smile remained on her face, even while she shook her head. “The two of them won’t be back until long after I go, Ruby. Besides, I’d rather not risk getting in their way in a fight; you know where Yang got her temper from, right?” Ruby nodded and spoke herself. “Mom, Yang’s temper is beside the point! And _they_ would get in _your_ way if anything. My point is: you’re diving headfirst into a team killer at best, completely _solo_ I might add, and all you can think about is a birthday present and how you might get in someone’s way?”

Summers smile wasn’t as sad now, but more akin to one of pride. And Summer was proud; of the women her daughter and niece were becoming, and of the sheer strength Ruby was showing in her heartfelt attempts to stop her from going. However, the pain that Summer knew Ruby would suffer after this hunt was something that the mother knew she wouldn’t be able to soothe; wouldn’t be _around_ to soothe. “One day soon Ruby, I imagine that you’ll have someone or something you’d go to extreme lengths to protect. Please try to understand that, for me, the one thing I’d protect like _that_ is the family we’ve become now.”

Ruby understood what her mother meant, but understanding something and accepting it are two different things, and while she understood that Summer wanted to protect their family from her uncontrollable eyes, she refused to accept that dying on a whim would make anything better for anyone. Ruby now found herself in the worst situation she thought possible, and she knew her options: Ruby could fight to keep her mother safe at home, by literally knocking Summer out before she could react, she had unlocked her aura and semblance during her training, and was learning the different applications for her Speed, such as focusing her power into a punch fast enough for even Qrow to have difficulty reacting.

Ruby’s other options were to let her mom leave without hindrance, or offer to go with Summer herself, and her mind was already made up.

“I’m sorry mom,” Ruby clenched her fist at her side “but I can’t just let you kill yourself simply because you think it’ll make things better.” the first punch was just _barely_ too fast for Summer to react, but she did dodge the second one thrown. ‘I see. You really want me to stay, huh? Then _I_ am sorry, Rosebud.’ A third punch was sent her way, the force behind it threw Ruby off her balance for a moment. Enough time for Summer to slip behind her daughter, and pinch a nerve in Ruby’s neck. Summer’s little Rosebud was out like a light instantly, her mother catching her before she hit the ground, and bringing Ruby to her room to lay in bed.

“I’m sorry that the perfect life we’ve been living needs to end soon, that I won’t be there to see you earn your official huntress license, or give you advice about that girl you might even be seeing now, in your sleep; I’m sorry that I can’t stay with you and the others, or even _begin_ to grasp control over my eyes, And I’m so terribly sorry that I have to die for you to have a chance at a peaceful life.”

Summer left a note on Ruby’s bedside table and left for her hunt early. After she reached her first target, she smiled, thinking of the one thing she'd protect with her life. Summer Rose ran in to eliminate her target, and was never seen again.


	4. Slip Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm sorry this took so long. I had to write this on my phone, so it might not be the same quality you're used to. I'll probably update this on my phone again sometime, so I'm sorry in advance for that.
> 
> -Sylvir

" _I'm sorry, but we all knew the day would come when I would have to go, I only regret that the day in question came so soon. I can't say things will get any better for you, but I know how strong you are, Ruby; you've been training a lot, and you're only going to get stronger from now on."_

_"My eyes are dangerous Ruby, and I truly wish it wasn't a burden you were meant to bear. however, destiny has forced our hands, and I cannot stay with you. If ever we made eye contact, we'd kill each other, Rosebud; knowing that, I've always worn a blindfold, which I removed to write this. Of course, everyone already knows that, but I want my reasons for going to be known to you."_

_"Qrow knows where my final birthday present for you is, so ask him to give it to you, I hope you like it. I'm confident that you'll become an incredible huntress someday, and save so many people; and I hope my gift helps you to do those things and more, Rosebud. Perhaps, one day, you could even learn to control the power in your eyes more adequately than I."_

_"Sentiment aside, in the room I share with Qrow, there's another letter in the top left drawer in the dresser; detailed within is something only for you, Ruby; not even Qrow or Raven may read it. It is incredibly important that you read it, the reason for its relevance is also detailed in it."_

_"Qrow, Raven, whatever our children choose for their futures, please try to understand and support them, they are becoming beautiful young women and they'll be grown adults soon. I'm certain that they might still need help with the many responsibilities that come with adulthood. Not to mention the pain that you are all surely experiencing now that I'm gone."_

_"I love you all, and I will wait until we meet again, and you'd better have some decent life's stories to tell before that happens."_

_"Yours truly, Summer L. Rose"_

As soon as Qrow finished reading the letter, he understood why his daughter was crying on the couch clutching onto a second paper, likely the one meant for Ruby alone. Raven had given the letter to Qrow crying herself, and even he let a few choked sobs escape as he realized what was on the girls' minds.

Summer Rose was dead.

They all knew it now but were too hurt to say anything out loud. So they just cried and held each other for The Brothers knew how many hours. As the day went on, barely anything was eaten, said, or done besides the aforementioned crying and hugging. Finally, Ruby broke the silence, and caused more tears to spill when she said that, "Someone needs to tell Yang."

After around a week of tearful mourning, Yang's monthly call came, and it was decided that Qrow would tell her about Summer. All of the joy in her demeanor faded away instantly upon hearing Qrow's already breaking voice say, "Hello, Yang. We need to talk. Alone, if that's possible."

An hour later, Yang was in Beacon University's gym, delivering vicious punch/kick combos to the seventh bag she hooked up, which barely managed to stay that way through the abuse. Even without Ember Cilica, or even her Semblance, Yang was an absolute powerhouse of a woman, and it was obvious to everyone there that she ought to be left alone in her rage.

It was only when she saw her team leader looking at her through the glass doors, uncharacteristically worried, that she brought herself to stop her assault on the punching bag, and breathe like Raven taught her. After putting the bag away, and cleaning up what little was left of the victims before it, she quietly followed Weiss back to their shared dorm room.

Two teenagers, a brunette woman in yellow and brown attire, and a man with metallic hair wearing a blue and grey zip-up hoodie and jeans were waiting for the two of them to arrive. Now, team WYCS could begin to discuss exactly why one of them barged out without so much as a word, though obviously pissed, or sad, or both.

Coco Adel tipped her shades down to look at the pair clearly, "Took you two long enough." Weiss glared at her, "Now isn't the time, Coco." Sylvir Ingot intervened, worried about Yang, "Is everything alright? You stormed off pretty quick earlier, but I'm still concerned." Weiss added to his statement, "We're _all_ concerned. So please tell us, is there something wrong, Yang?"

Yang sighed heavily, looking ready to cry, "You know how I call my family once a month, right?" Everyone acknowledged her question in their own way, and urged her to continue, "Well, I'm sure you already know that they wanted to talk to me alone this time." More encouragement to continue,

"Ah, fuck it, you saw my aunt last time I called; The adult redhead I lived with before I came to Beacon?" Yang's voice was starting to break. While various agreements were heard, Coco became impatient, "What're you getting at, Yang?" Another glare from Weiss, another sigh from Yang.

"My aunt Summer went on a hunt..."

Coco wasn't pleased with this waste of everyone's time, " _That's_ why you stormed out!?!" Sylvir was trying to calm Coco down while Yang finished talking.

Yang breathed and ended the sentence, "...And is now confirmed dead." As soon as the words left her lips, Yang lost her composure, and her knees gave way. She _would_ have fallen, had Weiss not caught and led Yang to her bed, trying to calm her crying teammate down on the way.

Coco was shocked, so much she no longer seemed angry, and Sylvir just looked at the blonde sympathetically, "I suppose _that's_ why she ran off. An apology might be in order once she's calmed down a little." The brunette now appeared to be annoyed with her only male teammate, but it was obvious under her acting that she regretted her words, "Alright, but only once she's calm." Sylvir gave Coco a small smile, "Agreed." They both returned to the schoolwork they were assigned, worried about Yang all the while.

Speaking of Yang, she had cried herself to sleep in her grief, while Weiss kept an eye on her, "I hope you know that we're going to be here for you, Yang. We're a team, and we are going to do everything we can to support each other, even now, okay?" Despite Yang being asleep, she seemed to hear Weiss's sentiment, and settled into her bed a little better, just barely smiling enough for her leader to notice, and blush slightly as she left to finish her own schoolwork.


	5. The girls with broken smiles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry these keep taking so long, but this is a project that I fully intend to see to completion, regardless of how far away the finishing touches are. I’d also like to note that I actually almost cried while writing this myself, so it might be a good idea to grab a tissue or something. Anyways, enjoy the chapter, and guess the title’s inspiration if you’d like.
> 
> -Sylvir

The night after Yang learned of Summer Rose’s death...

When yang awoke, she noticed how dark her surroundings were, and sat straight up in her bed in hopes that a clock was nearby. ‘2:47 AM? Brothers Almighty, how long was I out?’ She now realized that a weight of some kind was in her lap, and was stunned to find Weiss shaking in her sleep, with her head and shoulders on Yang’s bed. ‘I guess even the Ice Queen can get cold at night, huh?’ Weiss was hunched over, kneeling on the floor. Recalling her leader’s usual posture and demeanor, a thought crossed her mind, ‘That _can’t_ be comfortable.’ Yang reached her hand out, with the intent of pulling Weiss fully onto the bed; and then she noticed something.

The leader of team WYCS wasn’t cold, she was crying. Weiss was crying in her sleep, half on Yang’s bed, half on the floor, and Yang’s hand was now on her shoulder, unmoving. ‘Well, honestly I can’t blame her. If anything, I wanna cry too. A lot, in fact.’ Yang decided what to do in this position, and gently shook Weiss awake. It worked, and upon realizing where she was, Weiss dried her tears and made to leave for her own bed. Before she took even two steps, however, Yang grabbed her wrist. “Weiss, are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine; Now, let me go.” Yang’s grip didn’t loosen at all. “Yang, let go of me.” Instead of obeying, Yang pulled Weiss closer, smiling. “And why should I do that?” Her question got her the answer she expected, “Because I told you to!” Weiss whispered rather forcefully, “And I’m this team’s leader, you have no right to-” Yang interrupted her, the smile on her face breaking only a little. “To what? _Try_ to help my friend when I see her suffering as much as I am?” Weiss blinked, stunned into silence, while Yang just sighed, her smile turning more gentle, “You just said you’re the leader, and that means if you can’t lead us, we’re all screwed, am I right?” Still stunned, Weiss managed to say, “Yes, but-”

Yang raised her free hand, cutting Weiss off while her grip on her leader’s arm loosened only barely. “Okay, then. As you’re teammate, I’m supposed to help you, so tell me what to do, leader.” Weiss immediately whispered, so as not to wake the others, “Let go of my arm.” In response, Yang’s grip tightened; not painfully, but enough for Weiss to feel the added pressure. The tightened grip was accompanied by the words, “Wrong answer, Snowflake.” Confused, Weiss demanded, again in a whisper, “Excuse me? You wanted me to tell you what to do, so let me go!” Yang’s smile was completely gone now, “Not until you’re sleeping peacefully, without what I’d assume are nightmares.”

Weiss scoffed, “And what makes you think I’m having nightmares?” Yang only raised her brow at Weiss, who facepalmed with her free hand when she realized, “That’s a stupid question, huh?” Yang chuckled as quietly as she could, “Yeah, it was. But honestly, I’m surprised.” Confused yet again, Weiss asked, “What do you mean?” Yang responded with a sad smile, “I’m surprised that I’m not the one crying, given the situation.” Weiss knew what she meant, and voiced her thoughts, “I...I’m sorry, about what happened. Your aunt was a great woman, from what little I know of her. My… insensitivity… is probably deserving of an apology as well.”

Yang’s smile was still there, not as sad as before, either. “It’s alright Weiss, no harm done. Summer had her flaws, but I _do_ recall one thing that she always did without fail.” Weiss’s curiosity was piqued, “What’s that?” Yang started chuckling, “She discovered a way of putting two screaming toddlers to bed in _minutes_! And it never failed once, either!” Weiss was caught a little off guard, but soon she was quietly laughing herself. “What did she do?” Yang calmed down a little, still smiling, and remembered, “She sang a lullaby for us. If I recall correctly, she learned it from _her_ mom, when she was little.”

At this point, Yang let go of Weiss’ arm and gestured for the leader to sit on the bed next to her. “Are you sure?” Yang just said “mm-hmm.” in response, trying to remember the tune. As Weiss sat down, the weight shift almost made her lose her balance, but Yang caught her before she fell off. Within seconds, Weiss found herself on Yang’s bed, right where Yang gestured to. Yang was still holding her, but strangely enough, she wasn’t bothered in any way. In fact, Weiss hugged her back, welcoming the warmth her teammate gushed out in waves from her Aura.

Then, Yang started humming, and Weiss felt her tears return in full force. When she heard the choked sobs, Yang kept humming but started rubbing Weiss’ back. Once the tune was over, the only sounds to be heard were Weiss, muffling her cries into Yang’s tank top, and Yang’s encouragement for Weiss to, “Just let it all out, okay?” The only response she got was Weiss gripping her tighter, burying her face in Yang’s chest, and letting out a muffled wail, as more tears soaked the shirt she cried into. ‘That’s a Schnee for you; she probably didn’t have much time to grieve her losses, whatever they might've been, before getting back to work. Having a well-known asshole for a father likely didn't help much, either.’

After a few moments, Yang started tearing up, too. ‘Speaking of losses...’ The thought was never finished, as Yang’s hold on her leader grew a little tighter, and her own tears fell. Instead of trying to hum the lullaby again, Yang focused on holding her leader steady, as well as herself. After a while, they were exhausted, to the point that both doubted Weiss’d be able to return to her bed. After some time, the heiress asked quietly, “May I stay here tonight, Yang?” The blonde simply nodded, and pulled her blankets over the both of them, holding Weiss close the whole time. Both fell asleep in each other’s arms in moments.


	6. The Way to Where I'm Going

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a month and a half to finish and I’m sorry!!!!! I haven’t had much free time recently. Anyway, I received a comment pointing out that the dialogue seemed a little ‘robotic.’ Thank you for pointing this out to me, and thank you for the support. I’ll see what I can do to improve the words and phrases the characters think and say, and I hope you’ll stick around to see if it works. I’ll tell you all this now: I do read the comments you leave, and I appreciate all the support and criticism you guys send me. Thank you all for letting me know how I can improve my writing, everyone. Next chapter might take a while, but I’m sure you guys already know that. Please continue to criticize my writing if you think I can still improve more. Until next time!
> 
> -Sylvir

A red-tinted, triangular ear twitched at a sound in the hallway, coming closer. Ruby jolted awake when she recognized what exactly it was; Her mother’s favorite lullaby always brought with it thoughts of comfort and peace, even now, when those thoughts were accompanied by deep sorrow. For what _had_ to be the dozenth time since she first heard the news, it all came rushing back to her sleep altered mind. “Mom?” She looked to the bedroom door, only to be sorely disappointed when she saw Qrow Branwen leaning up against the doorframe, humming the tune that woke her.

After he stopped, he turned to her, flask in hand, “Hey there, Rosebud.” He took a sip before continuing. “Ya gonna quit hidin’ today, or’d ya wanna stay cooped up in here some more?” Ruby knew she couldn’t hide from the world forever, so she started to get out of bed. “Sure; I might even go outside, but training _might_ be a stretch. The fresh air could help, though.” While she went through the motions of getting up, Ruby heard Qrow sigh, and thought, ‘He’s probably noticed by now.’ Still, she asked, “What’s wrong, dad?”

He smiled sadly at her, and said: “You just… look a lot like your mom, that’s all.” The blindfold didn’t actually hinder her view of her surroundings, a fact Qrow recalled Summer bringing up when she first wore one. ‘It’s specially designed to only prevent _others_ from looking into _my_ eyes. In short, I can still see your frown with this on, Qrow.’ In time, his opinion changed as he grew used to seeing her in one, to the point where he thought she looked like a badass. That opinion now extended into his views toward his daughter; she looked like some kind of superhero in a blindfold with a cape and wolf ears.

‘You really _did_ get your best parts from your mom, didn’t you, Rosebud?’ his thoughts were interrupted when Ruby asked something he was _not_ prepared for. “Hey, dad? Does the name Gerald Taurus mean anything to you?” Qrow was caught off guard, to say the least; then confusion shifted into well-contained anger. “How do you know that name, Ruby?” A dangerous air flooded the room as he asked, and Ruby flinched a little at the question before continuing, “The name Gerald Taurus was in the letter I found in the room you shared with mom. The letter said he might be able to help if I can find him.”

‘That lunatic? Help? Ha!’ Qrow thought, ‘That dumb-ass just worsened Summer’s confusion about her eyes; he couldn’t “help” Ruby at all like that! Wait,- “Hang on a second. Who wrote the letter you found, Ruby?” Surprised by his quickly shifting demeanor, Ruby confusedly replied, “Uh, mom wrote it. Is something wrong, dad?” Qrow sighed again, ‘You left breadcrumbs, didn’t you, Summer?’ Realizing that Ruby must be confused, he calmed himself down before trying to explain, “Ruby, I need you to listen very carefully, a’ight?” she nodded, and he continued, “Gerald went to Beacon the same year as your mom and me, but he wasn’t there to learn how to whoop ass and fight monsters.”

“What did he do, then?” Ruby’s question was answered, “Well, he was more interested in history and science. He learned everything he could about where our Semblances came from, the differences between humans and faunus, how Dust forms in nature, stuff like that. Summer thought he might’ve found a way to control her eyes with all the research he did, but the answers he gave her were too confusing to make any real sense of. In fact, it backfired; there was a short time where she’d unintentionally burn anyone who so much as glanced at her face. Eventually, we stopped keeping in touch with Gerald, but I guess you want to know where he is, right?”

Ruby nodded, “The letter said I needed to find him, since I could “ _see a different angle,_ ” I guess?” Qrow put two and two together pretty quickly after that. ‘You’re running this whole plan on a difference between your own and your daughter’s views on the same damn thing, Summer? Really?’ Thinking about how to help with the search for Gerald Taurus, he remembered, “Hey! I have a couple'a favors I can call in from before our time at Beacon.” Qrow was met with skepticism, “Before you went to Beacon? Weren’t you and my aunt bandits at the time? They might be shady, dad.”

“And I suppose you’d rather _run_ until you happen to find him?” Qrow had his usual, irritatingly smug smirk on his face by now, and Ruby knew she’d been beaten. “Alright, fine. But only involve people you know we can trust, okay?” Qrow’s smirk softened, “Okay, Ruby. Only people we can trust. Now, d’ya wanna get some breakfast, kiddo?” for the first time in more than a month, even if it was small, a smile found its way onto her face. “Yeah.”


	7. Taking risks, taking chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Qrow's Semblance has some positive applications after all...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my schedule’s f*ked, and updates won’t be as consistent as I’d like. But that’s fine, because I want to improve, and writing is actually kinda therapeutic for me. I’m thinking about writing a completely different story from this one, but I also don’t want to overwhelm myself with too many projects at once, so that might need to wait a while. Anyways, as I said, I’m not going to have a consistent schedule for updates, but once every two-to-four weeks seems manageable. I will say this, I do my own beta reading, so if any of you would like to help me on that side of things, there’s a spot open! Other than all of that, keep coming with the criticism and support, it really does help more than you guys know, and it’s appreciated, truly.
> 
> -Sylvir

Roman Torchwick could make a list of all the things he was; an escape artist, a thief, a decent aim, a smooth talker, even well dressed(in his opinion). One thing that would _not_ be on that list, however, was babysitter. It was bad enough that he already took an orphan under his wing, but the girl mostly did as she was told and never said a word, so he tolerated her for the most part. The thing that worked him up so much was the fact that Neo took such a ridiculous liking to the client’s daughter when they met for negotiations...

“So, let me get this straight. You want _me_ to take your daughter to Menagerie, because you _think_ someone you haven’t seen in years _might_ still live there?” Qrow nodded along with each exaggeration, before throwing in one last request: “Pretty much; and If possible a one-time, one-way trip back to Vale as well.” Torchwick scoffed, “You do realize that a faunus movement is stirring in Menagerie, right?”

Ruby’s ear twitched at that, and without looking away from her game with her new ‘friend,’ she asked “A faunus movement? What’s up with that?” Torchwick was annoyed, but he answered her anyway, “Long cut short, Red, the faunus there’ve started marching around protesting against some made-up human oppressors they think are in Atlas of all places. My guess is they’re insane, but I’d rather not be public enemy No.1 if I can help it. Especially with the way they fought off the Grimm that showed up at their last protest.” Next to him, Neo pretty much shivered in place for a second, before moving her rook to ‘check’ Ruby’s king in their game.

Moving her bishop to take out Neo’s rook, Ruby asked “Why Atlas?” Qrow gave her an answer this time, “Prob’ly got somethin’ to do with the, uh... Schnee company, right? Anyways, there’s this big Dust company in Atlas that apparently treats their faunus workers like crap, an’ they don’t seem to pay _any_ of their “employees” up to legal standards, human or otherwise.” by the end of his sentence, Neo took Ruby’s bishop with a conveniently-placed pawn.

A knight was placed in front of the exposed king, then taken out by Neo’s other rook, ‘checking’ Ruby’s king again as she asked, “Does this ‘movement’ happen to have a leader, or a name for that matter?” A sigh escaped Torchwick, “Sadly, _that_ is information I lack. You’ll have to find someone else for that tidbit.” Neo glared at him, and he raised a brow at her, “What?” She raised her hands, making various gestures at Ruby and Qrow. “You can sign at them all you’d like, I doubt they’ll understand, Neo.”

A full minute passed in silence, with Neo making more gestures, and the father-daughter duo looking a little more confused with each passing second. Thinking he was right, he continued, “I told you-” he was interrupted by the cloaked girl, “Uh...Who’s Adam Taurus, sir?” He looked over at Neo to see her smiling, satisfied with her work.

‘checkmate’

…And that’s how he ended up grumbling to himself about how he’s _not_ a babysitter while Neo and her ‘friend’ exchange numbers, “Just in case things go south in Menagerie, so I can call you for help.” He _really_ hoped she wouldn’t need the return trip they agreed on. How he was going to explain this complica- this kid to the 'Great Leader' _and_ the brains behind their operation, he had no idea; but he’d have to think of something on the way… ‘Damnit, Neo!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. This is probably the shortest chapter I've written for this story, so I'm sorry if it isn't as detailed as the previous chapters before. I will get back to writing at least 1,000 words per chapter after this, but with the way I wrote this, it seems to set up for the next part pretty well. I'll keep shifting between focusing on Yang and Ruby as the story continues, but Ruby's side is supposed to be the bigger focus overall. Anyways, the next chapter will probably take some time as I mentioned earlier. I hope you guys can stand to wait until it's ready! I promise, it'll be longer than this one was.
> 
> -Sylvir


	8. How this cruel world turns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was WAY longer than I thought it’d be, but I did it!!!!! How’s 2021 been treating you all? I hope you’re all okay. Anyways, the next few chapters will be a little more consistent, hopefully. ‘Till then, be safe and try not to get sick; if you’re already feeling unwell, I hope you get better soon. We could all use some good stuff these days, and I’m happy you’re enjoying this story of mine. Please be careful if you’re leaving your home. I’ll see you with the next update!
> 
> -Sylvir

After getting Neo’s scroll number, Ruby ran off upstairs to her room to pack her things, barely hearing that Torchwick guy yell something about a “tight schedule” toward her general direction while he dialed a number on his scroll. She’d pretty much finished in ten minutes, and that’s when Qrow decided to knock on her door. “I’m coming! Hang on, I’m almost packed!” He laughed a little to himself, then opened the door to find an almost-packed Ruby zipping to and fro with her Semblance, stopping once she was done with the zipper to her bag. Upon turning around, she realized it was her father, not their guests getting impatient, “Oh! Sorry about that, dad.” He just chuckled a little more.

“It's alright, Rosebud. But ya might wanna let up on the gas pedal a bit." His right hand remained behind his back at the moment, but it wouldn't remain there for long, as what it held was the purpose of his interruption. "Are ya all packed up?" Ruby pulled her small luggage bag off the bed and nodded, "Yep, I'm all set. Wish me luck!" Her father's free hand on her shoulder, along with the words: "One quick thing, before you go running off, kiddo..." stopped her from walking right past him. Concerned, Ruby asked, "Is everything alright, dad?"

“Yeah, it's all good, I just, ah… here," he handed Ruby the small wrapped box after stumbling over what to say for a moment. "Summer wanted you to have it, I'm more than sure." Looking at the box in her hands, Ruby's face was hard to read, partially due to half of it being covered by a strip of cloth; but after a few moments, she hugged Qrow, tears ready to spill. "Thank you, dad. For everything, really… thank you." She let him go, but he still managed to wipe a stray tear from her face, "Just promise me one thing, will ya Rosebud?" Returning her bag to her bed, she packed the unopened present away for later, treating the object as though it were glass while doing so. Ruby responded to his question after a moment, "Yeah, dad?"

“Please… just come back in one piece, will ya. I don’t wanna lose you too, Ruby.”

The blindfolded girl stopped halfway through zipping her bag up again; and turned to smile at her dad, saying: “I promise you, I _will_ come back. It might take… Honestly, I don’t know how long I’ll be out there; but I’m _not_ going to die. After all, _someone_ needs to keep an eye on you." Qrow laughed at that, responding with a quip of his own: "Don't we have Raven for that? She _is_ six minutes older than me.” she jabbed back, as she always did in Yang’s absence, “Two things: one, being the younger twin isn’t usually something people would brag about. And two,” Ruby sighed, thinking about her aunt coming home after her hunt to find her brother alone, “Two, tell Aunt Raven I may or may not take a while to come back, please. She can be as doting as mom at times.”

Chuckling a little, he replied: “I’ll do that.” His smile dropped a bit, “On that note, how've you been holdin' up since… well…" A sigh escaped him, "You know what I mean, right kiddo?" After pulling her bag off of her bed, she responded with a sincerity Qrow thought only Summer had in her: "I don't know _exactly_ how I’m doing right now, but I have a feeling that, if I can learn to control my eyes, things will get better. How _much_ better is up for debate, but I will _not_ come back before I have full control, unless I absolutely have to.”

The man sighed, lifting his flask for a sip before suggesting something to his daughter: “Well, at least try to keep In touch out there, eh kiddo?” She hugged him again, and tried to think of how to say goodbye. “I’m gonna miss you, dad. But, I have questions… and I don’t think you can answer all of them. I promise you, _after_ I get control I’ll come back, and I’ll become a huntress like mom and Yang. I’ll use my eyes to protect people...” Her voice broke and her tears returned with a vengeance, but she turned her raw emotions into the strength she needed to finish her farewell, “I’ll make mom proud! And everyone else, too!” she looked up at her father through her blindfold, smiling with tears cascading their way down her cheeks, “I love you, dad. But I _have_ to go. I… I need answers… I need control.”

Qrow was just stunned; at Ruby’s genuineness, and at how painfully she resembled her mother. He just smiled at his daughter, “I love ya too, Ruby. Keep your hood up...” She finished the sentence for him, calming down as she spoke: “Keep yourself wrapped in your cloak, don’t go looking for trouble. Mom said that so much I can’t possibly forget it, dad.” laughing, he replied, “Neither could I, Rosebud.” A knock rung off the door before anything else could be said, and Neo opened it, poking her head through the gap with a grin on her face. Pointing a finger up, she twirled her hand around clockwise while she jerked her head to the side. Confused, Ruby tilted her own head to the side with an almost cute whine, whereas Qrow knew immediately that they were ready to go.

“Well, looks like that’s your cue to leave, Rosebud.” Ruby released her father from her vice grip, and grabbed her luggage bag. “Wish me luck, dad! Again.” He grinned, responding: “You know that’s not a good idea, given my Semblance; safe travels anyway, kiddo. I’ll miss you.” Ruby smiled back at him, “I’ll come back, I promise!” Waving her off, he just smirked, “Can’t come back if ya don’t get goin’, Rosebud. You’ll miss yer ride if ya just stand there, Ruby.” they exited the room and went downstairs to find Torchwick waiting by the front door, arms crossed with an unimpressed expression adorning his face. “About time, Red! I was thinking about just leaving you here.”

He then noticed the lone bag she packed, and raised a brow at her. “That’s all you’re bringing?” Her response came with a smile. “Yep!” His brow remained elevated as the rest of his face shifted in confusion, “You’re sure you don’t wanna bring, say, a weapon?” Her smile didn’t budge at all “Nope!” Confusion turned into concern as he questioned her again: “The Fang isn’t known for being friendly to new faces. Even if you _are_ a faunus, you’ll need to convince them you’re worth keeping around. You know that, right?” She activated her Semblance and dashed across the living room between them, almost completely silent, covering the 20-foot distance in an instant before stopping directly in front of him, still smiling: “Yep, I know.”

Neo and Torchwick exchanged nervous looks as they glanced back and forth between her and each-other, while Qrow threw a half-assed scolding at Ruby. “Hey, Rosebud; what’d we say about showin’ off to our guests?” She turned to him scratching her head nervously, ears twitching as she apologized, “Sorry, won’t happen again. I’ll go put my bag in the car and wait, okay?” Before anyone could respond, her hood was pulled over her head while the door opened and closed in a flash of motion, her Semblance carrying her to the vehicle parked outside. Torchwick looked at Qrow, incredulous: “You _raised_ that kid?!?” Said kid’s father smirked, “And taught her self defense, with some help.” Neo just stared at the man as he took another sip from his flask.

After a few moments, Torchwick cleared his throat, “Well, the Fang’s gonna be a lot more _interesting_ with her around...” Neo thought of something for a moment, before gesturing at Qrow in sign. The younger Branwen twin just laughed at her, “She won’t be unarmed for long! I bet she’ll have a working prototype in the next few months.” Torchwick was scared to ask, “A prototype of what?!?” Qrow just chuckled as he went back upstairs to drink alone in his room, “You’ll see soon enough!"


End file.
